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“Dante and I plan to bring that back. Carmine is gone. We plan to work together with the Russos, ease tensions, and return to the good days. Push the club more, expand there. The games will still happen in the back rooms with vetted clients, but we’ll be pickier. No more paid protection around the city, no more transport, and sure as fuck no drugs.”
“What about the girls?” Tino asks, and my eyes meet his.
I know he’s asking with the knowledge of what Paulie’s plans are and how that applies to his girlfriend.
“The only connection the family will have with the girls is if they’re dancing or serving. It ends there. And just like now, we’ll make sure they’re well taken care of, that they are safe. As we expand, we can add things like helping them get into school if they want, childcare—whatever. We can make this community—and the women who live here—thrive.”
There’s less silence as the men murmur amongst themselves, and when I look at Dante, he’s looking down at me, too.
I read it there.
This just might work. We just might have them, he’s saying.
And then the question comes.
“What about Paulie? I thought he was taking over,” someone asks—I’m not even sure who. It doesn’t really matter. They’re all wondering. I sigh and feel Dante do the same, but Marco speaks before either of us can.
“Paulie is poison to this family, same as Carmine was.” Noise increases, an argument on the tips of tongues. “How many of you know Carmine had the option to go down when Tony did?”
This brings silence.
“Feds had both of their names on the papers. Carmine could have taken the fall, let Tony lead the family. Instead, he wanted the power and to stay free. He pushed Tony to take the fall, and, well . . .”
Silence again.
“He sold out Tony?”
“He didn’t bring the information to the feds, but he didn’t stop it from happening when he could. And he was training Paulie to be just like him. To take the family too deep, to get darker. You get caught running a ring like Paulie wants, you go to federal prison for life.”
Silence.
“Jason, who would raise Bethanny?” I ask quietly. His face goes white, but I don’t take the time to stop and wait for an answer. “Silvero, how many years you got left, you think? Jamie’s pregnant, right? You wanna meet that grandbaby?” His face is a near mirror of Jason’s.
All those months of learning these men, gaining their trust, letting them tell me about their lives and all the things that Paulie never saw value in—it pays off now.
“Tino, money is good doing what Paulie wants you to do. I get that. But do you think he’ll care that Sammi is yours if she can make him more money by selling her?”
“Jesus Christ,” he murmurs under his breath.
Silence fills the room.
“So, what’re the options?”
Dante sighs and I speak, trying to appease everyone.
“We’re here to talk to you all. Dante is the right person to take over this family. I think that’s incredibly clear to all of you at this point.”
“And you?”
“When the time comes,” I say, looking over at Alfredo, “I’m taking over the Russos. Until then, I’m going to assist Dante.”
“She’ll be ruling alongside me,” Dante corrects.
“So, what, the Russo whore gets—”
Santo, one of the lower-level made men I haven’t gotten too close with starts, but he doesn’t get the chance to finish. Dante moves before I can even take a break and his hand is onhis collar, holding the man above the ground. His feet kick, but Dante doesn’t flinch.
“Lilah’s being nice, being easy. Trying to tell you all everything so you can make a fuckin’ educated decision. But she won’t tell you that the decision is be respectful and choose the right head or get the fuck out. And when I say get the fuck out, I mean get fuckin’ taken out.”
